Chapter 337 - 329: Landing_1

Compared to land-based launch sites, sea-based mobile launch platforms made others feel somewhat awkward.

However, they had no objections to building several more sea-based recovery platforms; these didn’t require a large investment and could be completed within a relatively short cycle.

In fact, Xie Liaofu himself wasn’t too confident about this project, mainly because the meteorological department’s forecast of typhoons numbered 1 to 22 really caused distress, necessitating the proposal of a not-so-ideal solution.

The original idea of borrowing the Mukala Launch Site really wasn’t mature, although it was indeed feasible; there was only one launch position available, with very limited conditions, which wasn’t very significant.

However, the problems affecting the launch couldn’t be ignored, and after discussing back and forth among seven or eight people, Ke Yun finally came up with a distinct solution.

"This year, our main launches are the number three rockets and New Yuan-2A CBC rockets; the problem is that they can only be launched from the large launch sites in Qiongzhou, right?"

The others nodded subconsciously.

"But why do we launch from low-latitude sites?"

"Of course, it’s to increase the payload capacity of the rockets."

Ke Yun: "However, the H2M and H2 have a maximum takeoff weight of 135 tons, and New Yuan-2A’s maximum payload capacity is also 135 tons. But what is the launch weight of our main launch missions this year?"

Xie Liaofu was stunned for a moment, then realized.

"100 tons, not exceeding 110 tons at most."

Ke Yun nodded: "So what about the number three rockets? Their low-Earth orbit payload capacity is 270 tons, and launching three radiating cabins plus the support doesn’t amount to much more than 100 tons. I remember that our last launch even reduced the fueling."

"Therefore, we can definitely expand the inland launch sites, which would save us much more money than sea-based or overseas launch sites."

Ye Changsi: "Inland launch sites... Selenium Chang, no, Jiuquan, it’s very spacious there. We can accept a payload loss of 3% to 5%, and it has an airport. Back in the day... it could definitely accommodate the An-1250.

Well, let me go and inspect it, see what it looks like now. I am quite familiar with the place."

Xie Liaofu had to nod too; the inertia in his thinking and the inherent longing for low latitudes in the Union caused him to make an experience mistake. After all, Baikonur’s 46-degree "low latitude" really left a deep impression on Union’s aerospace history.

Lin Ju participated in the whole process from an observer’s perspective and finally asked:

"So we’re mainly asking for funding, technical authorization is useless to us; how much money is appropriate?"

Guo Shen thought for a moment and gave a number: "Such important technology is invaluable, bringing the country bargaining power and an isolated confidence. I think we should get at least ten billion yuan in compensation."

Ye Changsi: "Ten billion?!"

Guo Shen: "The money we’re getting is in RMB, which can always be printed; it’s just cash flow. I think we also need a fund for nearby infrastructure construction. Altogether, even twenty billion would be okay."

Lin Ju, who had already been exposed to the greater world and had discussions with high-level officials, was surprisingly not too shocked by the figure and casually nodded:

"This money invested in the development of aerospace technology can directly provide orders for ten high-tech companies. Besides, the money doesn’t have to be given all at once; it could be given over several years in the form of policy support."

Ye Changsi: ......

He was aware that New Yuan, despite being one of the top-tier corporations in the country, still enjoyed various preferential policies from the local government each year.

Lin Ju, "There’s also something else, gentlemen, if we have ample funds, couldn’t we try developing a supersonic business jet? Constantly using military routes for training flights doesn’t look too good."

Xie Liaofu, "I think Androff would have more to say on this matter."

Androff, "How many times the speed of sound? Ten times? Why don’t we just modify the body of the Xuehu? We could get from here to Capital in 15 minutes."

"..."

Xie Liaofu, "If you can convince the Civil Aviation Administration to issue a certificate of airworthiness for it, then I think we should have no objection. Also, I would rather ride a rocket than deal with this."

"Isis No. 1 is NACA’s first nuclear-powered lunar rover to land on the Moon, and is also the largest and heaviest single lunar rover on the Moon with the strongest detection capability. It will provide humanity with a broader perspective for lunar resource exploration.

Jim Frey, the head of the Isis project, stated, "This is the most powerful rover we’ve ever built. It’s also a hopeful moon rover, carrying 3 grams of Moon soil brought back by the Apollo mission. Now, we are going to send them back to the Moon."

Isis No. 1 was in a rush, and there was no time to collect a hundred thousand names from around the world to take with it. Instead, it scraped out 3 grams of Moon soil from the Lunar Landing Museum, symbolizing the return to the Moon.

On March 5th, Isis No. 1 became the second spacecraft to reach the Moon’s orbit four months after America.

Currently, it is gradually lowering its orbit, preparing to land in the Aitken Basin at the South Pole and around the Kuom Impact Crater.

This landing process was still broadcast live globally, but the public interest wasn’t very high.

Now, more attention was focused on the Dawn 2 on the Moon.

Since entering lunar orbit on February 14th, the entire world had been waiting for "Full Moon" to perform the unmanned lunar landing mission. However, it seemed that Dawn 2 wasn’t in a hurry to land, as it kept circling in lunar orbit.

Dawn 2 was originally planned to undertake the unmanned landing mission on February 20th, and then on February 24th, it would be loaded with Moon soil and dock with the spacecraft to transfer the samples before returning to Earth.

But the day before the scheduled landing, an unexpected issue arose. Eight Explorer II robots, including Yutu-3, conducted an advanced inspection of the expected landing site and discovered a problem.

Just beneath the surface of Kuom Impact Crater was a layer of ice. As a result, the layer of Moon soil covering the ice was plentiful but loose. The "Full Moon" with its 8 tons of thrust from its reverse thrust engine would blow a big hole if it lingered for just 0.5 seconds more, potentially causing the landing struts to become unbalanced and skew.

A landing craft carrying Yutu-3 had previously experienced a similar issue; however, its engine thrust was low and it had less mass. "Full Moon," on the other hand, was a different story.

The Aerospace Development Committee spent half a month searching for a suitable landing site and eventually settled on an open area outside the edge of the impact crater. The difference in elevation inside and outside was minimal, and the Moon soil was solid. The landing struts would sink into the soil around 5 to 10 centimeters, providing a secure fit.

It was fortunate there was a test for the unmanned landing mission in advance; otherwise, encountering this trouble during an actual Moon landing would have been truly troublesome.

The timing of the landing was also quite coincidental, being only 10 hours apart from Isis No. 1...

It goes without saying which was more intriguing: the 1-ton lunar rover or the 23-ton lander. Thus, NACA got its share of media attention massively undercut.

Especially since both landers were aiming to touch down near the Kuom Impact Crater. Had the timings not been staggered, might there have been a risk of collision in mid-air?

On the evening of March 7th, Beijing time, at 6 PM near Landing Site No.1 of the Kuom Impact Crater, two Yutu-3 rovers and the lander that brought them there sent out radio signals to provide precise navigational guidance for "Full Moon." "Full Moon" and Dawn 2’s command module disconnected, and it began to slowly descend in altitude.